Open up your closet. Bring out your good ol' motorcycle jacket. Get into the old dusty 70's car, put this CD and go out for a ride. ABANDON HOPE brings everything that is good in Rock N' Roll. At first, when I received this CD to review, I thought this is Black Metal. I would never guess it's a genre named Bash N' Bang. Well, the result is HIPPIE TEXAS COALITION with Zakk Wylde influence, alongside with classic Hard Rock lines. That kind of slow Metal that will keep you listening to it nonstop.

"Right or Not" opens the album with a slamming song to listen with your friends, thought I do have a little something to say. I don't like the intentional stops here. In overall, this is a cool song. The second song, "Catharsis" makes you headbang slowly with the "Not Bad" expression stuck to your face. Alongside with amazing lyrics, and slow but surely fun playing, ABANDON HOPE brings you exactly what Metal Music means - heavy, uncompromising music to make you look cool and have fun. The solo here is Dirty, Wah playable, very BLACK LABEL SOCIETY style.

"Turmoil" is a classic Southern Metal song. It features everything you need to get drunk in the countryside. Slow, Stoner like guitar lines, clean yet dirty vocals, and this dirt in the guitars. Great song. "The Core" have a great use of effect chains in the guitars, which a little reminds of "Walk With Me In Hell" (LAMB OF GOD). Then, it changes into some Grunge like chorus, which actually sounds great to me. "Settle The Score", as the name of the album, actually have a Country Rock sound, nothing greater to chill in the evening with. It's one of those masterpieces you never expect to hear in such albums.

"Jackyll And Daniel's" is another Southern Metal song, with a lot of influence from BLACK LABEL SOCIETY. I don't have much else to write about it, but it sounds fine to me in the overall. "Memories" starts with slow, sad melody which explodes into Stoner Metal song (Which very reminds me of "Nola" album by DOWN). This album keeps you entertained and not disappointing you. "The City" is an aggressive, fast, thrash-almost song that keeps you entertained and fascinated with this album. I don't have any other words to add about it, but it's another great track. "Sally" is a quite song that relaxes you for the last song, "Sweet Surrender". This is a Hardcore song. Gives you the last punch from the album to make you want to listen to it once again.

Overally, it's a great Southern Metal influence band with a great album, but somehow something here misses me. It gives me a "yet another biker band" feel. But the music is good and heavy, so what the heck. SAOL did another great job with an amazing album. After reviewing two albums by them (Also, "Wegwiser" by ABINCHOVA) I'm going to keep track of their releases, and I also recommend it for you.